The Incident at Stormcage
by The-Ones-Who-Ran
Summary: After leaving River in her cell at Stormcage Containment Facility once again, the Doctor sets off on his next adventure. Oddly, the TARDIS has returned him right back to the prison, in a different time, where he finds a disaster unfolding. Rated T just to be safe, as I having finished the story yet. Takes place after the TV episode "The Wedding of River Song".
1. The Calm before the Storm

_Following The Doctor in his eleventh incarnation, soon after the events that took place during the TV episode "The Wedding of River Song"_

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"When I said 'Your place or mine?', you know I wasn't being serious, right?" said River, leaning back against the Doctor's chest, tilting her head up to catch a glimpse of his expression as he played absentmindedly with her hair "I wasn't actually giving you a choice, it was just something flirtatious to say." The Doctor laughed quietly, twirling a piece of River's hair around his index finger.

"I'm aware." he answered simply

River lay against him, strangely exhausted, as he sat with his back propped up on the cold metal frame of the bed. It was a bare, white mattress on a plain metal frame, the only pillow stuffed between the Doctor's back and the frame. A prison bed. The Doctor sat with River beside him on the narrow mattress, barely enough for the both of them even with him as skinny as he was. She lay against him as he ran his thin fingers through her crazy curls, gagging every few minutes as a stray piece found its way into his mouth, which caused River to fight back the urge to laugh.

"What's wrong with your prison cell, anyway?" he asked, a smile in his voice knowing that River didn't find it funny in the slightest "It's all very nice, if you ask me. Accommodations, three meals a day - all for free!" Even though he couldn't see her face, the Doctor knew River had narrowed her eyes angrily. Well, if she didn't want him to brighten up the fact that she was in prison for life for murder - his murder, in fact - it was her loss. He really didn't care, he was still alive after all. No blood, no foul.

"Besides," he continued, "the bedrooms in the TARDIS are still furnished with bunk beds. Didn't think you'd like that, but I couldn't bear to get rid of them. Sentimental reasons, mostly. Anyway, what's the problem with changing things up a bit?" He could sense another scowl coming from River, as he heard her sigh loudly.

"A change for _you_," she pointed out, in an uncharacteristic foul mood "I spend all my days here, apart from the times where I escape for a bit of fresh air or you whisk me away on some other adventure, all these Doctors of different ages. Do you know how confusing it all is?" He chuckled, though it was slightly high pitched in that funny voice of his.

"So, you're never here at all, are you? And you're not the only one confused, don't you forget." he said, ceasing the stroking of her hair as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him "Speaking of forgetting I believe I forgot to ask you something when I came in. When is it? Where are we, time-wise?" River thought for a moment.

"Hmmm, it's all a bit of a blur. I can't tell if what happens are just colourful dreams or not, most of the time. I really don't want to consult the diary. Where did you just come from? You look pretty young." The Doctor leaned forward, his head appearing beside hers, studying her face.

"Why thank you, so do you." he grinned, resting his chin on her shoulder "You've already been imprisoned, so this should come as no surprise to you" he concluded, recalling the last time he had been in her presence. She had been younger then, he was certain of it. "I just got back from our wedding, actually. It was rather short, but necessary at the time, I suppose. We really should try that again sometime, make it more official. I didn't even get to tell you my name."

River laughed quietly, her mood brightened by the memory of their short wedding, her parents the only people other than themselves in attendance. Also, all of time had been falling apart, which had put a bit of a damper on things. His death - his murder - waiting in the near future, hanging menacingly over their heads. A sad memory, so full of pain... but so very happy all the same.

"Spoilers." was all she said in response to him wanting another wedding, which earned her a chuckle, and a soft, quick kiss on the side of her face, right behind her ear.

"A little later in my time then," he whispered happily, imagining his future that she already knew so much about, from the sounds of it. "Comforting to know I have a future, at least."

"I will tell you one thing though, it was impossible to plan," River confessed, in high spirits now as she remembered more happy times from her past, this Doctor's future. She still sounded tired though, seeming eager to just relax against him forget everything "I had to make sure to find a version of you who had already attended our first wedding, one who was old enough. First time, I got a really old version of you who even remembered the wedding I was trying to invite him to." The Doctor laughed, able to see the situation clearly in his head. River pulling her hair out in frustration as she tried to catch the attention of the right Doctor, the right version of himself. "I managed to get you there eventually though, looking just a bit older than you are now."

"Not a long way off then," he said brightly, and River could tell he was grinning hugely "What was I wearing? Did I - or will I - still look hot?" River laughed loudly, and it was a wonder no guards came running to check in on her.

"You wore the usual, no matter how much I begged." She replied, once she had reined in the laughter "Bow tie, braces, that annoying little tweed jacket with elbow patches…" she trailed off as she heard the Doctor chuckle by her ear, amused by his future self. "Still incredibly sexy." She said almost sarcastically, causing the Doctor's smile to widen, though she still wasn't able to see it, she knew it was there.

To any observer, if there had been any, the scene in front of them would have appeared so very strange, wrong even. Even though he was older than her by hundreds of years, the Doctor's eleventh incarnation was small, skinny, and the youngest he'd ever been. He looked barely twenty, only his eyes revealed his true age, the ancient knowledge that hid behind them. They were closed now, though, as he pulled his wife against him, his head resting on her shoulder, his cheek pressed against hers. River, on the other hand, appeared older than him by decades. Old enough to be his mother even, though the way he held her close suggested a completely other type of love, not the kind between mother and son. They discussed their wedding happily, flirting openly, he and River laying together on the metal prison bed, with River too tired to do much else and the Doctor completely content in doing nothing at all for a change.

She fell asleep like that, so completely drained by some adventure the Doctor had no clue about. Had he been there, he wondered? If so, what version of him, his past, his future maybe? A completely different incarnation? It was all so very complicated, their timelines a jumbled mess, making even his mind hurt a little. He was grateful for moments like this, where it didn't seem to matter much. No life threatening, apocalyptic scenario, no screwed-up timelines making everything even more complicated. It was just him and River. Him and his wife.

As he felt the morning approach, he removed himself slowly and gingerly, incredibly careful not to disturb River. He succeeded, and she slept on, oblivious to his absence beside her. She looked so different, asleep. She looked peaceful for once, no danger, no excitement, no gun pointed at his head. She looked as innocent as she had as a baby, when she had only been Melody Pond, so sweet and young. Planting a kiss on her forehead, the Doctor slipped out of her cell without a sound, and River did not stir.

Would another version of himself visit her in the morning? Save her from her sentence that wasn't her fault, freeing her for a precious few hours in a different time and place to escape boredom? Where would she be tomorrow? With what Doctor, what incarnation, what age? The questions nagged him, but he still managed to open the TARDIS doors, slipping quietly inside.

The TARDIS was quiet, save for the low bangs and blips it always made, the audible hum of life, of immense and impossible energy. It had always been bigger than he really needed, but never before had it seemed so empty. The Doctor half expected Amy to come running out from her bedroom, her red hair a complete mess, to give him a big, crushing hug and a quick slap in the face for leaving her alone so long. Rory would undoubtedly follow right behind her, giving the Doctor a glare as Amy hugged him, but equally happy about his return. They weren't here, though. No Amy, no Rory… nobody but him. Him and the TARDIS.

"Where are we off to now, old girl?" he whispered, approaching the console uncharacteristically slowly, stroking her metal railings as he went. The TARDIS made a loud whirring noise, an angry whine of protest. The Doctor laughed quietly, patting her soothingly. "I'm sorry, you're not old at all. You look good as new, I swear. Same as the day we met." he smiled, shaking his head slowly "Typical woman." he muttered the last bit, rolling his eyes with a half-smile playing at the corner of his mouth. He chuckled, not only at the TARDIS' offense, but the fact that he was talking to her. He was really going mad, but he didn't really care. "Off we go then, sexy."

He made his way around the circular console, pressing and pulling random buttons and switches as he did. The TARDIS swayed, tumbled, and rocked, but he held onto whatever he could as hard as he could, his skinny legs sticking out every which way as he did. He had no idea where he was headed, or where he would end up. Who he would meet. He liked it that way, he supposed. It was all a wonderful mystery, where he would end up next. The empty TARDIS dragged his spirits down, though. The complete absence of life. No Amy, no Rory, and definitely no River, nor any other of his long list of past companions. What was the point in traveling alone?

The TARDIS landed with a thud, letting out that trademark whine of hers as she settled, landing somewhere unknown. The Doctor's mood lightened as he thought about it, what would he find when he stepped outside? What planet, what time? During what horrible crisis the TARDIS had led him to fix? He smiled, though the action seemed slightly pointless, with nobody to see it. He shook his head, dispelling the depressing thoughts, before skipping happily towards the TARDIS doors.

He flung them open hastily, letting out a small gasp of surprise as he stared out the doorway.

"Oh, River" he sighed, his eyes wide, appalled by the scene in front of him "What have you done now?"

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**Well, there is is. The first in what I hope to be many more chapters. I really hope I get around to posting the rest of it once I've edited/finished it. Don't be afraid to tell me what you think :)**


	2. Lost in the Smoke

The TARDIS had returned him to Stormcage Containment Facility, where he had left River sleeping just minutes ago. Obviously, a lot more time had passed since his last visit (or maybe he had even gone _back_ in time), for the whole hallway was filled with black smoke. The metal passageways lined with cells were choked with some sort of fumes, causing the Doctor to press the sleeve of his jacket over his mouth with a cough.

Without a moment's hesitation, he ran into the hall. He snapped his fingers as he did, closing the TARDIS' doors quickly behind him. His eyes watered uncontrollably, and he coughed into the fabric of his jacket, but nevertheless he continued on.

"River!" he yelled, pulling his arm away for just a moment to shout her name, not even knowing if was even the right time for her to be imprisoned here "River, where are you?" He ran, his twiggy limbs jerking ungracefully as he did, running in that sideways, uncoordinated way of his. "River!" he choked out once more, before covering his mouth again.

He passed by a dozen cells, each and every one looking nearly identical. All that he knew was that they weren't River's, and passed them after a single glance. He didn't pause to check for survivors, to look for anyone else. He worried about one person and one person only, and felt a surge of guilt every time he ran by a cell, not checking to see if anyone was in there. He tried to remind himself that everyone in here were criminals anyway, but it didn't help one bit. Every single life mattered, but he could only think of one. Wasn't River herself a criminal, too? A murderer, even? She had killed him twice, in fact. Did she really matter more than every other life here?

No, not really. To him, though? Definitely.

Which is why he continued to sprint clumsily through the halls, tears streaming down his face as the smoke irritated his eyes. He could see just enough to study every cell he passed, searching desperately for River, who may not have even be there. He could feel sweat forming on the back of his neck, as the hot, black smoke swirled around him. He coughed once more, a dry, empty cough that didn't do much good to clear the smog from his lungs. He stopped dead in the hallway as he rounded yet another corner, his shoes sliding and squeaking on the metal floor.

There it was. River's cell.

He knew it well, for how many times had he come here? Come to whisk her away on another adventure, let her escape from an unjust sentence that was sort of (but not entirely) his fault? He knew it from its messy state, as he saw all of River's clothes piled everywhere in misshapen heaps. Clothes from all different time periods, for she never did know where he'd be taking her next. The Doctor also caught a glimpse of the stick figure of herself she had drawn on the wall, which she had convinced a guard was actually her with the help of her hallucinogenic lipstick to create the perfect escape. If he hadn't been suffocating, the Doctor would've smiled at the sight of it.

There was also another big indication that the cell was River's, the confirming clue - the fact that she was standing at the bars. She clutched the metal bars with all her strength. Her face, half-covered by cloth to suppress the smoke, was pressed against the rails. She stared at the Doctor with pleading eyes, a look of relief on her face as tears fell down it. Whether the tears were from the joy of seeing him, or from the sting of the smoke the Doctor didn't bother to ask, but he knew it was probably the latter.

"River!" cried the Doctor, panting heavily as he approached the area where she stood, confined to her cell, gripping the bars "River, what have you done?" She shook her head immediately.

"It wasn't me, love." She managed to choke out, peeling back her mask of cloth for a moment "I don't know what's going on, all the guards have gone!"

The Doctor wasted no time, pulling his sonic screwdriver swiftly out of his jacket pocket. He pointed it at the cell door, which quickly clicked and swung open. With no time for any cheerful catch-up or lighthearted flirting, the Doctor grabbed River's hand roughly, leading her back to the TARDIS as fast as they could manage.

"Where are we going?" River gasped, easily keeping up with Doctor even in her ridiculous high heels, which made an annoying clicking sound against the steel floor of the prison "What's going on?" For once, the confidence was gone from River's voice, replaced by an odd confusion, a tiny bit of fear even, as she choked on the thick, dark gas.

"_We_ are not going anywhere," replied the Doctor with a wheeze from his smoke-filled lungs "_I'm_ taking you back to the TARDIS, where _you_ will stay until _I_ get this sorted out." River immediately ripped her hand from his grasp, stopping dead.

"Oh, no you don't." she insisted, as he froze just ahead of her, his shoes squeaking noisily as he did "I'm perfectly capable of helping you with this, and I'm not about to sit in the TARDIS while you run around and get yourself killed! Did you really think you'd be able to keep me out of it?" The Doctor sighed, but it quickly turned into a cough.

"River, why do you have to be so difficult!" he groaned, the smoke still stinging his eyes as he nearly tore his hair out in frustration "It's bad enough getting myself killed, why do insist on following suit?" They really didn't have any time to argue, but they stood there anyway, River refusing to comply.

"Because then you might actually be careful, with my life on the line as well." She replied simply, causing the Doctor to let out another sigh, for he knew it was true. Unable to disagree, and knowing he had little time to argue anyway, he took off running once again with River following close behind.

"We still need to go back to the TARDIS anyway," he explained, forcing another cloud of smoke out of his lungs "See what we're dealing with." River nodded, though the Doctor was unable to see it as the fumes thickened around them. River blindly reached out her hand, the Doctor gripping it firmly as they found one another in the blackness. They could barely see a foot in front of them now, as the hallway was clogged with the dark fog.

They nearly ran into the TARDIS, running frantically and as aimlessly as they were through the facility. Relieved, and so light-headed that they could pass out any minute, the two of them stumbled into the TARDIS, closing its doors hastily behind them.

They practically collapsed onto the TARDIS floor, leaning their backs up against the doors, gasping for air as they tried to rid their bodies of the foul smog. They both grinned, unable to stop themselves, happy to be breathing clean air again. Their hands were still nearly fused together, but neither one of them made an attempt to untangle their fingers.

"Nice to see you again, sexy." The Doctor breathed in relief, closing his eyes in exhaustion as he slumped against the TARDIS doors.

"You too, Sweetie." River replied, echoing his movement, falling beside him weakly. The Doctor bit back the urge to inform her that he had been talking to the TARDIS, but he decided that it really wasn't the time. The Doctor promptly stood upright, turning to help River up before running towards the console, all his youthful energy returning to him. A thousand year old child once again.

He shrugged off his jacket, throwing it haphazardly and carelessly over a random railing. He tugged the monitor, activating a myriad of buttons and switches, staring at the screen with a weird determination. His forehead wrinkled, and he frowned slightly as he tried to think of where to start.

"TARDIS, identify substance for me, would you?" he asked impatiently, causing the monitor to flash with data and images, "Tell me what that smoke outside is." His jaw set as he read the screen, one of his eyebrow flying up. "It's some sort of synthetic, airborne poison." He said, soundly slightly surprised, seeming to be in some sort of shock.

"Poison?" River asked, equally astounded, confused even "Are we going to be alright, Doctor? Have we inhaled too much of it?" The Doctor shook his head, but in response to which of her questions was unclear.

"Time-Lords have a resistance to it, it seems," he explained, studying the words that flew by on his monitor. "It's fabricated to affect all _known_ types of life forms, I think, and Time-Lords are sort of extinct…" he clarified, turning away from the screen to look at River "And you seem to have enough Time-Lord DNA in you to have that trait, so congratulations on being alive. Also, thank the fact that your parents had a little too much fun on the bunk beds in the TARDIS during their honeymoon." River smiled slightly, also a bit uncomfortable after that last comment, before the worried look returned to her face.

"That doesn't answer why it was even there, though," she pressed, coming up beside him to look at the screen, though the mix of words of different languages and symbols meaning who-knows-what were moving too fast for her to decipher. Enough Time-Lord in her to be resistant to poison, but not enough to read the TARDIS' monitor that quickly. Go figure.

"Didn't you say all the guards had gone?" The Doctor asked suddenly, after staring at the flashing words for a few moments longer, the worried wrinkles on his forehead deepening as he struggled to understand, looking so out of place on his young face. River nodded slowly, trying to catch up on his train of thought. "Where did they go, when did they leave?"

"I don't know where they went," replied River, trying to work through the situation in her head "About ten minutes before I noticed the gas, they were called somewhere. Seemed urgent, all the guards suddenly just took off. I was actually going to take advantage and I was starting to plan another escape when the fog rolled in." The Doctor stroked his chin, puzzled.

"A criminal trying to escape? A victim of a crime seeking revenge? An accidental gas leak?" The Doctor mumbled different scenarios under his breath, speaking more to himself than anything else, covering his face with his hands.

"If only it could be as simple as a gas leak for once," grumbled River tiredly, earning her a smile and a chuckle from the Doctor, though they both lacked any sort of humour. "Wait, you said that the gas was designed to affect all life forms, so does that mean…"

"That they're dead?" Interrupted the Doctor, finishing the question for her, to which River nodded sadly "Most likely, the poison seems to be pretty deadly from what I've read." River frowned, pained by the thought.

"Even the guards?" she asked quietly, though she had never showed concern for the men she so regularly deceived until now. The Doctor nodded, his focus drawn back to the screen once more.

"Unless they retreated to somewhere safe and sealed-off, yes." He replied, with what seemed to be no concern at all for all the life that had potentially been lost, though River could see that twinge of sadness in his eyes he tried to repress so he could think clearly. After a few minutes of silent pondering, during which he ran his fingers through his hair with a frustrated look on his face, he spoke again. "We should really go out and investigate."

The Doctor took off running down some random hallway, returning quickly before River could even think about following him, holding up a pair of clear plastic masks triumphantly. River studied what appeared to be a pair of gas masks, though pretty low tech compared to what she had become used to in this time.

"Though we are resistant to the poison, we aren't completely immune," he explained, throwing one of the masks to River, who caught it easily "It ought to start effecting us sooner or later if we stay out too long. Better to be safe than sorry." He gave her a reassuring wink as his placed the clear mask over his face, securing it behind his head. They both headed for the door. "Allons-y, as one of my previous personalities used to say."

"Oh, I ran into to him once," River commented, smiling teasingly "Crazy bloke that one was, but at least he didn't wear a bow tie." The Doctor gave her a joking glare, pretending to be offended. He was about to explain to her that bow ties were cool, when he stopped short, a bewildered expression appearing on his face as it dawned on him.

"That's impossible!" he nearly shouted, completely perplexed "The only time you met him was in the library, and you, you…" He didn't know how to finish that sentence, but River soon cut him off anyway, a grin on her face.

"Spoilers." Was all she said, giving him a wink before pulling open the TARDIS doors, stepping out into the smoke.

It instantly clouded their vision, fogging up their masks almost immediately. At least they could breathe, which was the main thing. Breathing is good, breathing meant living. They found each other's hands in the smog, gripping the other tightly as they took off blindly down the hallway.

They miraculously didn't run into any walls, for the Doctor could see just enough not to make that mistake. River was running completely visionless though, only able to feel her feet hitting the ground rhythmically as she ran, and the Doctor's slim fingers crushing her own with surprising strength. They sprinting down passageway after passageway, passing cell after cell, the Doctor seeing no signs of any survivors.

"Any sign of an end?" complained River, as her right ankle wobbled a bit as her high heels hit the ground at an odd angle as she groped in the dark, nearly causing her to topple over. The Doctor shook his head, but replied aloud when he realized she wouldn't be able to see it through the dark cloud enveloping them both.

"No, not at all," he answered, starting to breathe heavily "I guess that's a good thing, for the guards, I mean. Very hard for prisoners to find their way out, I don't know how you manage it every time." River rolled her eyes and continued to race as fast as she could, pushing herself farther forward with every stride.

They continued on for a good five minutes longer, their legs growing heavier and sorer with every step, yet they continued to push themselves forward. The Doctor kept going in the hope to save precious lives, curious to find the answer. River followed him mostly because his grip on her hand was inescapable, and partly because she couldn't bear to keep herself out of the action.

Suddenly, the Doctor came to a sudden halt, River following his lead soon after as she stood beside him, catching her breath. The silhouette of the TARDIS loomed in front of them, masked in smoke, but obviously there. They glared at it in silence, in utter confusion.

"We've been going 'round in circles!" exclaimed River, still gulping for air after sprinting so far, apparently having just run the perimeter of the entire building.

"Actually, in a _circle_, singular." replied the Doctor, looking around him for a way out, though barely anything could be seen in the haze of fumes "We only went around once." River sighed, not in the mood for his cleverness, except if it could get them out of there.

"We went completely around!" shouted the Doctor, not seeing any way out, getting frustrated with himself "The walls are either lined with jail cells or just a smooth steel surface. No doors, none! How do you get out, River? Of all people, you should know! Where are the guards, where do all the non-prisoners stay?" His yelling had caught her off guard, but she answered with a confident air to her voice, like she always did.

"Well, I never really did go out the _right_ way," replied River, she herself scanning the foggy air surrounding them for an escape "I either left by TARDIS, or I made myself a door." she gave an evil smirk at that, but the Doctor didn't ask for her to elaborate "Or used a window in one of the other cells - they never gave me one - but they lead outside, though not to any other parts of the building, I don't think the other floors have windows." The Doctor groaned, covering his gas mask in his hands, then letting them fall to his sides. He flung his head back, facing the ceiling.

"How on earth are we supposed to-" he cut himself short as his gaze wandered up to the ceiling, a huge grin appearing on his face. "There we go." River followed his line of sight, and saw a square panel almost directly above their heads. Even through the smoke, she could read the red lettering printed upon the door. EXIT.

"So," the Doctor started, turning to his wife with a smile on his face "Who's going up first?" River crossed her arms over her chest, glancing up to examine the height.

"No offence, but I doubt you could lift me up there with those skinny little arms of yours." she laughed, the Doctor giving her a hard look at her remark, though his ego didn't seem to be too badly damaged "But, even if I can you up there, how am I going to follow?" The Doctor's expression turned into a grin once more.

"Oh, we'll figure it out as we go along, I'm clever that way" he assured her, rubbing his hands together as he prepared for what would come next "Now, hoist me up!" River paused for a moment, probably just absorbing what a terrible plan it was, lifting her husband up through a hole in the ceiling in the hopes he would find a way for her to follow him. She nevertheless held out both her hands clutched together, the Doctor sending yet another reassuring wink her way as he stepped on her upward-facing palms.

It was sadly so very easy for River to raise him to the ceiling, with him weighing barely anything and all. His fingertips pressed against the metal panel, and with a slight push he displaced it upwards, shoving it aside. He grabbed the ledge with ease, managing to pull himself up with the help of River who still supported his feet.

"Can you see anything up there? Any survivors?" called River as the Doctor disappeared from view in the chamber above. At least it didn't have any smoke in it, as far as she could tell from her view from the floor below. She heard his quick, light footsteps on the metal floor above. His face appeared over the open panel once again, crouching by the hole.

"This room seems to be protected from the smoke somehow," The Doctor thought aloud, though looking intensely at River as he did so. He had taken his mask off, revealing the mess it had made of his hair. He tried frantically, and without much success, to smooth it out, but it was a lost cause "Smoke rises, but for some reason hasn't found its way up yet…" He straightened up, pacing thoughtfully around the perimeter of the hole as he examined the panel, going over every explanation in his head.

"Some sort of force field, maybe? Something that didn't stop _me_ from entering but managed to-" he broke off, turning to face something in the room that River was unable to see. She watched as a look of confusion passed over his face, followed by a genuine look of fear.

Though it wasn't fear for himself.

"River," he muttered just loud enough for her to hear, angling his head to look down to the floor below "River, whatever you do, don't make a noise, don't be seen by anyone, and for your own sake don't come after me." She started to protest, but the Doctor instantly put a finger to his lips, reminded her not to be heard. She fell silent, seeing the severe expression he wore. Whatever was going on, whatever he saw… their lives were at stake.

With a nudge of his shoe, the Doctor slid the panel back into place. It sealed him into the room above with a click, leaving River alone below, standing in the smoke.


	3. The Upper Floor

"Well, now that she's all taken care of..." mumbled the Doctor to himself under his breath, cracking his fingers as his eyes wandered around the room. The room seemed to have a similar design to the prison downstairs, the same cold, bare metal walls, floor, and ceiling. It seemed warmer somehow, more welcoming, but it was probably just the absence of cells containing the worst criminals in the universe. That was a good explanation.

The room was completely empty, save for the Doctor, no sign of any threat or danger. His own acting skills had surprised him, he had been certain he'd never be able to fool River, who knew him so very well. He supposed his success was down to the fact that he really had been scared, frightened by what would come of her if she were to follow him. What would he say when he barged into security, or management, or whoever ran this damned facility, with one of their prisoners following right behind him? Too dangerous.

The Doctor made his way over to the only door in the room other than the hatch that led downstairs, opening it with a quick point of his sonic screwdriver. It led to a hallway nearly identical to the one downstairs, again save for the prison cells, and of the course the thick, poisonous smoke. The Doctor made his way hesitantly forward, his shoes clacking embarrassingly loud on the metal floor. He hadn't cared so much about the noise when he had been on the floor below, but now he strived to be as silent as possible for once, now with the possibility of the culprits still lurking about up here, where they could hide, safe from the deadly smoke.

He shuffled down the hallway, and doors started to appear on either side of him as he progressed forward. None had been left ajar, none were labeled, and they were mostly empty as far as the Doctor could tell as he walked down the hallway in complete and utter silence.

Then he heard the voices.

Muffled voices, barely audible sound waves echoing softly down the hallway, reaching the Doctor's ears, quieter than a whisper. He tiptoed down the hall, straining to hear the voices as they became louder and louder, though still very faint. He continued, desperate to decipher the words, listen to the conversation, and find out what the hell was going on...

He eventually tracked the voices down to a door up on his right. The sound was still impossibly faint, dampened by the sealed metal door, just barely escaping from the crack underneath. The Doctor crept over as silently as he could manage, crouching by the door. He leaned over, as if to lay right down on the floor, and pressed his ear to the crack.

"She couldn't just escape, oh no," came a man's voice, audibly distressed, frightened maybe. He must be, with all the smoke filling up the floor below "Had to gas the whole place! I mean, we got her, but... what about everyone else down there?" His voice grew right squeaky near the end, cracking a bit. Probably quite young, the Doctor guessed. Mid-twenties at the latest, he guessed, if he was human.

"You talk as if they're actually people," answered another voice, a rougher, deeper voice. An older voice, lacking any sort of emotion "Don't forget, they're all criminals, the very worst of them. Murderers, former evil overlords, psychopaths... we're very lucky than none got away. Imagine what would happen if even one of them filthy crooks was let loose!" The Doctor frowned, already not liking the man behind the deep voice much.

"Don't you talk about my wife like that!" he mumbled threateningly under his breath, though of course nobody in the room could hear him, for he could barely make out their conversation as they spoke at a normal level.

"I was just saying..." the other voice trailed off, most likely intimidated by whoever owned the deep, emotionless one "I mean, it's hard to see people die, no matter who they are. I was training to be a doctor, you know, before I came here. Bad habit, I suppose." The other voice groaned, walking away towards the door, where the Doctor lay on the side, listening intently.

Before he even registered what he was hearing, the Doctor flew backwards in surprise as the door opened, revealing a tall, bald man with a serious expression looking down on him. He wore a guard's uniform, and looked almost surprised at the rather scrawny man in suspenders and a bow tie that sat on the floor of the hallway, limbs askew.

"I wouldn't call it a bad habit myself," the Doctor said calmly, responding to the other guard's earlier comment, even though he was just noticing the guns strapped to the guard's belt. They were mere inches away from his readied hands, his fingers twitching in anticipation as he stared down at the Doctor "Last time I checked, empathy and compassion towards other people was a very good trait to have."

The Doctor saw as the other guard appeared behind the tall, slightly scary one, looking equally confused at the sight of the Doctor. As the Doctor predicted, he was quite young, his face undamaged by the toll life could take. He was lanky, his gun belt seeming too bulky for his thin frame. His expression reminded the Doctor of Rory, when he had first met him, just an aspiring nurse from Leadworth. Confused, amazed, and just a little bit frightened by the sudden appearance of the Doctor.

"I thought you were supposed to be dead!" he exclaimed, his voice reaching an even higher pitch "We even have your killer locked up, the psychopath who murdered you" The Doctor frowned.

"Oi! Don't talk about my wife like that!" he warned, though the guards didn't know that it had been the second time, standing up in a hurry, his shoes slipping on the slick metal floor. "See? Not dead!" He gestured to himself in a flurry of quick movements with his hands. He stood up straight, though the tall, rough-looking man still managed to look down on him, the lanky guard peering out from behind him.

"Never mind that," piped up the deep voiced man, even scarier now with no wall separating them "How the hell did you get up here, and what were you lurkin' about outside for?" The Doctor couldn't help but cower a bit as he leaned over him, casting his large shadow completely around him.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I came through a door," the Doctor replied, his tone surprisingly confident as he straightened his bow tie "As for the lurking, I was just trying to figure out what the smoke thing was all about. I listened to you, so now I know it was a prisoner escaping. You managed to contain her, or capture her, or kill her, or whatever, but she managed to gas everyone on the main floor. Where were the guards when it happened, and why on Earth would she set off poisonous gas that would most likely kill herself as well? Well, we aren't actually _on_ Earth, but you get my point. I don't see her getting a hold of a gas mask down here... unless she didn't set it off? Maybe it was an accomplice, who released it when she was safely out of there? I wonder... would you be able to take me to your boss, or supervisor, or whoever runs this place? I need security tapes, info, whatever he's got." he wandered off, thinking to himself. He paced around in small circles, as the two guards just stood there, trying to catch his hurried words, his rushed thoughts and suspicions.

"I don't like you, you talk too much," stated the tall guard, his face still severe as the Doctor walked briskly around the hall. He pulled out his gun as the Doctor made his way to the door opposite to where they stood, pointed at his unprotected back "Sure, I'll take you to the boss, but maybe not in the way you're thinking." Confused by his words, the Doctor spun around, but it was already too late.

The guard fired.


	4. Coming, Sweetie

River still stood on the floor below as the smoke swirled around her. It was slowly disappearing, she could even see her own feet again, but it was still too thick to risk taking her mask off. She looked up at the panel labeled EXIT above her, waiting for the Doctor's return. She hated waiting, not doing anything. Hoping he would come back in one piece, but she hadn't the foggiest idea how to follow him.

She couldn't even return to the TARDIS, what with him leaving her down here without a key. She made a mental note to ask for her own key one of these days. It would make her life so much simpler. She leaned against the TARDIS, getting impatient, tapping her foot annoyingly on the metal floor. She sighed, checking up at the panel once again. Still nothing.

She finally couldn't take it any longer, storming off to the nearest cell to find something to work with. Getting in was the easy part, nothing she couldn't handle with the bobby pins in her hair. She picked the lock with ease, stepping into the cell triumphantly. She immediately made for the trunk in the corner, certainly filled with every possession the guards had let this prisoner keep.

River dug through the trunk, throwing out random articles of clothing, various novels, journals, and a jar filled with a ridiculous amount of cash from various planets and the nations within them. River made a mental to revisit this cell on her way out to pick up the cash, as she peered over her shoulder to find that the owner was out cold on the prison bed behind her. A human woman, by the looks of her, and obviously dead. For how could she have survived the poison?

River felt slightly guilty as she sifted through the deceased's things, but the fact that the money in the jar was most likely stolen comforted her a bit, as did the fact that that, if she herself were the one dead, the woman would probably jump at the change to pick through her stuff as well. They were all criminals here. Even if they did have any morals down here, how bad was it to steal from a convict? Didn't they deserve it, didn't they have it coming? It pained River to think like that, but it was probably true. Had they deserved to die, to be gassed while they slept?

River's mood managed to lift itself out of the gutter as she found what she had been looking for. It was something every inmate had, for nothing had really changed since the time her parents had been born in. It was rope made of bed sheets. So incredibly stereotypical, but so very effective. River smiled as she pulled it out from its hiding place underneath the prisoner's pile of possessions. She eyed the window on the prisoner's wall, its frame showing signs of some serious fiddling. She had been planning an escape.

River felt bad that the human woman, who was locked up in there for who-knows-what, who hadn't gotten to feel freedom. River was also glad she hadn't, as she dragged her escape plan out into the hall with a proud grin on her face.

Promptly, already having a plan in mind, she fastened one end of the rope to one of the cell's many bars. She gave it a hard yank, then smiled, satisfied with its strength. She walked directly back to the TARDIS, which was parked just opposite from the cell, on the other side of the hallway. Standing as tall as she could, wobbling a bit in her high heels, she threw the rope around the TARDIS' top light. She took the other end, returning back to the cell before trying it securely to the same bar.

She swiftly removed her impractical shoes, holding them both with her left hand, her finger looped through their back strap. Getting down on all fours, she skillfully climbed the bed sheet rope without any hesitation. In seconds, she found herself on top of the TARDIS, still crawling as to not hit her head on the ceiling.

The panel in the ceiling still found itself a good few feet away from where the TARDIS was parked, but at least she found herself high enough. All she had to worry about now was falling.

She knew she'd have been able to make it if the panel had been left open. Just a simple leap forward to grab the ledge, she could manage to pull herself up. She was surprisingly strong, being a conditioned killer and all. What was really stopping her was the fact that the Doctor had insisted on closing it after him, as he warned her not to follow him. She stared determinedly at the hatch. How the hell was she going to get it open?

Her first thought was to climb back down, try to find some sort of long rod in one of the cells to poke it open with. That idea was crushed when she thought about it. Who in their right mind would let a prisoner have possession of a long stick, or even a bat? That plan crashed and burned.

Then an idea hit her.

She promptly grabbed the back straps of her shoes between her teeth, freeing up her hands. With skilled fingers, she untied the closest knots in the bed sheet rope, freeing one independent sheet from the chain. The rest of the rope fell to the floor. If she was getting back down now, it was either by falling, or returning to her cell with the Doctor after all this was over. She really hoped it was the latter.

She tied one end of the sheet tightly to the TARDIS light, and already tried to think up an apology for the Doctor if she managed to break it. She wrapped the other end around both her wrists and, gripping the fabric as firmly as she could, leaned back.

With her bare feet still on the TARDIS roof, and her slim fingers clutching the bed sheet for dear life, she was laying almost completely horizontal, with the panel right in front of her face. Slowly and extremely carefully, she untangled one of her hands from the sheet. With trembling fingers, she pushed the panel upwards, sliding it aside. With great difficulty, she achieved an actual smile, even with her shoes still being held in her mouth, as the room above came into view.

"Coming, Sweetie." She promised, her voice distorted by her teeth clenched onto her shoes, calling up to the floor above.


	5. The Gorilla

Everything hurt. He didn't know how it was possible, but every single inch of his body seemed to be sore, like he had fallen from a great height. Which he had done before, actually, and this felt so much worse. His head was heavy as he tried to force his groggy mind to remember what had happened.

The Doctor managed to overcome the strange weight on his eyelids, forcing his eyes open. His vision was blurry for a few moments, before the details of the room started to come into focus. The hazy, distorted scene around him started to become the clear.

He was seated in a metal chair, which was surprisingly still cold against his skin, even though he'd probably been here awhile judging by the state his body was in. It had four large metal cuffs attached to it, which held his arms and legs to the chair, restraining him. It was a wonder he hadn't felt them before, the tight grasp they had on his wrists and ankles, but his body was strangely numb, though extremely tender and sore at the same time. He didn't bother to struggle against the restraints, deciding to take a look round the room.

That's when he saw the guard.

He didn't know how he hadn't seen him as soon as he opened his eyes, but there he was. He stood right in front of him, only a mere few feet separating them as he stared down at him once again. It was the tall one, with his cleanly shaven head, his thick muscles, and the complete lack of any sort of emotion on his ape-like face. As the Doctor glared into his empty, black eyes, his last moments before blacking out came back to him.

"You shot me!" he accused, though it was slightly slurred after being out cold for, how long had he been out? Minutes, hours, all night long? "You, you shot me! I'm not even a prisoner, nor guilty of anything, and you shot me!" The guard gave an amused smile as the Doctor squirmed in his chair, checking himself for damage. He even worried if he'd regenerated, for he didn't know how long he'd been out for. Long enough to completely repair himself, grow a whole new face? He sincerely hoped not, he was starting to like his eleventh incarnation, large chin, childish features, and all.

"You're also supposed to be dead, and I didn't shoot you! Well, not really," answered the guard with a laugh, though sounding genuinely saddened by the fact "Just shocked the hell outta ya." He pulled his gun out from his belt with a grin "See? S'only a Taser gun." The Doctor gave an audible sigh of relief, actually giving the guard a smile.

"Good, my wife will recognize me when I get myself out of this," he said happily, grinning with a hint of a clever plan behind his eye "Not sure about your loved ones though, once I've finished with you. Oooh, that sounded very threatening, for a change. I usually ruin it by laughing idiotically or something. I'm pretty proud of myself right now. Did it sound scary to you, too?" The guard pointed his already drawn gun at the Doctor chest, just under his bow tie, which was still magically straight.

"You still talk too much," he muttered, peering at the Doctor's face over the barrel "I'd be quiet if I were you, or I might just shock ya ta death this time." The Doctor slipped his right hand out of its cuff, then mimed the act of zipping his lips shut. Then he pretended to lock them, and threw the fictional, invisible key over his shoulder dramatically before sliding his wrist back into its restraint.

The guard's eyes narrowed, keeping the gun pointed at him with a determined look on his face. The Doctor smiled, honestly having the time of his life taunting the man. Gun pointed at him or not, it was still funny. The stupid expression on his face as he tried to work out a plan himself.

"Oh, sorry," said the Doctor, feigning regret, "Did I just accidentally tip you off that these cuffs, while extremely tight, really don't really have a good hold on these manly hands of mine?" He pulled out his right hands once again, wiggling his strangely dainty fingers, nearly as slight as a woman's. "Guess I'll have to think of another plan, won't I?" He slipped his hand back into the metal cuff as he eyed the gun worriedly, as it was still pointed directly at him, the guard's hand holding it steady.

The Doctor surveyed the room, which he had pretty much ignored since he had woken up. It was the same plain metal as the rest of the prison, with what seemed like steel making up the floor, walls and ceiling. It was built to outlast anything, it seemed to him. Well, except a gas leak.

The room wasn't very big, maybe about the same area as the circular walkway around the TARDIS console. Just enough room for him to sit, trapped in his metal chair, while the guard moved comfortably and easily around without really coming close enough for the Doctor to really do anything. The guard was standing in front of the only door in the room, which he had left ajar. The Doctor tried to catch a glimpse outside, but all he could see were the metal walls of that same hallway.

"Don't I have any rights?" The Doctor asked, utterly lost as to what he should do "I mean, can I have one phone call, get three questions or anything? Will anything I say be used against me?" The guard gave him a glare, not wanting to have to hear his voice anymore.

"No, no phone calls, no questions, no nothin'!" he answered gruffly, swinging his gun as he moved his hands animatedly as he spoke "You just wait here until we get this sorted out!" The Doctor thought about that for a moment.

"If it's about the smoke, I can help!" he insisted, though he didn't remove his hands again, not wanting to get shocked to death "I'm the Doctor, I can help with the poisonous gas let loose in your prison! I thought I made a request to be sent to your boss, so where is he? Let me speak to whoever runs this damned place!" He had nearly lost his temper completely, his face growing red and hot as he sat there impatiently, a Taser gun still aimed in his direction.

"Calm down, before you explode out of that little shirt and bow tie of yours, _Doctor_." he replied mockingly as the Doctor stewed in his frustration. "We don't need any help with the gas, it should be all cleared out in fifteen minutes or so. It'll be safe to go back down there in 'bout half an hour, at the very latest. We got the air ducts pulling it out, now that it's safe."

"Safe?" The Doctor asked, confusion clear on his face, the folds on his forehead deepening "What do you mean, safe?" The guard shook his head, as if appalled and somewhat entertained by the Doctor's stupidity. Distracted by the Doctor's bafflement, the guard didn't notice the shadow that had appeared in the hallway behind him, sneaking up behind him. The Doctor took no notice either, desperate to understand what was going on.

"Well, everyone down there must be dead by now, right?" answered the guard, the figure behind him creeping closer "So, we're suckin' out the smoke before we go down to make sure." The Doctor's jaw nearly dropped.

"Make sure?" He asked, utterly bewildered "You're not telling me you gassed - and killed - all those people? Why would you…" he broke off as River's face appeared over the guard's shoulder, holding the ceiling panel they'd come through over the guard's head. The Doctor's eyes went wide.

"People?" the guard laughed, oblivious to River behind him "You call them people? They're just a bunch a…" River gave the Doctor a wink before she swung, the panel hitting home on top of the guard's skull with a loud crack, cutting him off mid-sentence. His look of surprise lasted only a second, for he blacked out almost instantly. He swayed a bit, before collapsing on the metal floor with a tremendous thud. His Taser gun fell out of his hand, landing at the Doctor's feet.

"River!" the Doctor shouted, pulling his arms out of their restraints, only to put his face in his hands "Couldn't you see I was in the middle of an interrogation? You probably just killed that man, smashed his skull to pieces!" River smiled, bending over to remove the guard's gun belt, before fastening around her own waist.

"Yes, it seemed like you had the situation completely under control," she teased, retrieving the gun at the Doctor's feet, which he hadn't managed to wriggle free of their cuffs just yet. "I just saved your life, a thank you would be nice, and appropriate."

"Thank you, River." He uttered ungratefully under his breath, reaching into his pocket for his screwdriver as River laughed. He bent over, pointing his sonic screwdriver at his shackles, which sprang open immediately.

"That's more like it." She smiled, adjusting her new belt, sticking her new weapon in its holster "Manners suit you." The Doctor rolled his eyes. "So, what helpful information did you manage to coerce out of this gorilla?" she asked, nudging the guard's still body with the toe of her high heeled shoes. The Doctor frowned.

"Well," he started, getting up to stretch out his body, which ached from being confined to the stiff, metal chair for so long "It would seem that the gas had been triggered by the guard, with the intent to poison everybody in the prison, from the way this _gorilla_," his made quotation marks in the air with his long fingers "as you so cheerfully nicknamed him, was talking." River looked incredulous.

"What for?" River asked, to which the Doctor only shrugged "What happened, for them to do such a thing...?"

"Well, maybe we'd know if you'd let him finish." replied the Doctor, gesturing to the guard, who was most likely dead by now. Though the Doctor showed none of his usual concern for every form of life, even the cruel ones that chose to tie him up, ignoring the guard's unconscious body. "But he didn't seem to think it was a bad thing, he seemed very cheery about the whole situation, in fact." River peered down at the man in disgust, before turning back to the Doctor.

"What do we do now, then?" River inquired, looking around "I mean, I've got all this new weaponry to try out!" The Doctor shook his head, letting out a sigh.

"Try not to, though I do know how you love your weaponry." he replied, making his way towards the door, River following close behind with a grin "I think we'd better have a word with whoever's in charge though, don't you agree?" River smiled.

"Can we give him Hell?" she asked, her manicured nails itching towards her new stun gun. She managed to force a smile out of the Doctor as he emerged from the room, back into the hallway.

"We'll see." was all he said, earning him a wicked smile from his favourite psychopath.


	6. Deadlocked

The two of them made their way down the hallway, though neither of them had any clue where they should be headed. River's newly acquired gun belt clunked and jangled as she ran, her high heels clicking against the metal. The Doctor sprung along beside her, shoes still making that horrible screeching sound as he did. His movements were made even more uncoordinated by his recent stunning, and having been strapped to a metal chair for an unknown amount of time. He nearly stumbled over his own feet as he ran, his gangly legs flailing awkwardly. He reminded River slightly of a newborn deer trying its hand at running for the very first time; oversized head and skinny limbs, lumbering forward gawkily and with little to no agility.

If anybody was in the rooms they passed as they sprinted down the hallway, they would've come out, for the two of them weren't exactly moving stealthily. Their footsteps were making a colossal racket, which would've attracted any nearby guards in an instant. The Doctor frowned at the lack of life, stopping dead in the middle of the hall.

"Where is everybody?" The Doctor demanded to no one in particular, looking around him in search of something, anything, to lead him to whoever was behind the gas "Where are all the guards?" He strode over to the nearest door, giving the handle a yank. It didn't budge and, not missing a beat, the Doctor put his sonic screwdriver to it.

"C'mon River, let's see what they've got locked away in these rooms." He said, hauling on the handle once again. To his confusion, it refused him entry, causing him to nearly loose his balance in surprise, completely taken aback by the fact. "What in the name of - give me a second."

Still a bit disoriented, the Doctor pulled out his screwdriver, scanning the doorway with a perplexed look still on his face. Finished, he brought the sonic screwdriver up to his face, peering at its side.

He smiled, but not the regular kind of smile people did when they were happy. River recognized it as the grin that came to his lips when he was utterly impressed by something, but still baffled as to how he was going to overcome it. It was the expression that came to his face when his enemies unveiled their next brilliant plan. Though absolutely terrifying and undoubtedly life-threatening, very impressive nonetheless.

"Wow, wonder when they put this in?" the Doctor marveled, fascinated by whatever his scan had shown him about the seemingly ordinary door. He turned to River, still in awe, only to meet her confused, though uninterested, expression. He grinned, still impressed.

"It seems that these doors are sealed, obviously, but not by your regular everyday lock," he explained, running his fingers gently along the door's edges "Remember when they locked me in that unescapable prison back in 1969?" River nodded.

"Well, I was otherwise occupied at the time," she answered, recalling the time she had jumped out of window to escape the government in their attempt to rebel against the Silence "But you explained it to me afterward. Nothing could escape, right? Not even…"

"Sound, yes." The Doctor completed her thought, pressing his ear against the door "These doors are shielded similarly. Not the same technology, but the same result. These doors are locked by a barrier that nothing can escape from, not even sound. So, my guess it that the guards are hiding out in there, completely protected from anything outside the room."

"So, the gas, then?" River concluded, as the Doctor knelt on the floor trying to peer under the door without success "They're under lockdown because of the gas?" The Doctor shot up, standing promptly with a grin.

"Exactly!" he exclaimed, appearing to be excited by the fact "Even though the hatch up here was shielded from it, they went even further and sealed themselves up. It's like they were expecting it to happen, like a region prone to flooding already having multiple walls of sandbags in place to keep the water back."

"Well, you did say that guard back there spoke as if it had been intentional," River pointed out, as the Doctor still hovered around the door, examining it "Though, why they would decide to hunker down and kill off all the prisoners is still a mystery." The Doctor nodded in agreement, though still admiring the shielded door.

"So, our next step would be to find out how to take the shields down," the Doctor thought aloud, twirling his screwdriver around absently "Or, we could wait until they removed automatically when the downstairs is smoke free. Though, all the guards emerging all at once could be problematic, I suppose." He stood there silently, mulling over the situation quietly in his head.

"Wait," River said suddenly, causing the Doctor to lose his train of thought "How did you run into that guard that had you all tied up?" He thought back, the memory slightly fuzzy after being electrocuted.

"I was walking down the hallway, heard two of them talking, and just couldn't bring myself to keep out of it," he recalled, his eyebrows drawing together as he said it "Which, is weird now that I think about it. What about the shields? Unless…" he trailed off, lost in thought.

"Unless...?" pressed River after a long pause, the Doctor thinking it over in silence "Unless, what?" The Doctor gave a short, quick shake of his head, pulled back into the real world by the impatient voice of his wife.

"Well, what if they were in the control room, taking down the shield for their own room so they could leave?" He answered upon River's request, though he had obviously figured that part out a while ago "That's what they were doing when I ran into them, they were on their way out. I was listening at the door when it opened." He disappeared back into mind again, thinking about it.

"So, do you think that guard I knocked out was in charge?" asked River, the Doctor shaken out his mental world again "I mean, that can't be good for my record, can it?" Her voice seemed oddly indifferent as she said it though, completely at ease.

"Oh, I think you did more than just knock him out," muttered the Doctor, though his real attention was still focused on the problem at hand "I think you murdered the poor fellow, managing to smash even his thick skull to pieces." River brushed it off, rolling her eyes as she did so.

"Well, what was I supposed to do? He did have you all tied up." River said as casually as ever "That's my job." The Doctor raised an eyebrow. He hoped she was referring to saving him from enemies, but he knew she was probably had tying him up in mind. Now really wasn't the time for that. The Doctor tried his best to ignore her last comment, but it was extremely difficult with the look she was sending his way.

"Let's say he was in charge," the Doctor continued, turning away to pace in circles around River "And let's assume that he was the only one who knew how to operate the shields. A long shot, I know, but it's the best hope we've got at this point." River thought about what he was suggesting.

"So, if you're right, the control room should still be open," she concluded, to which the Doctor nodded "Well, let's not waste any time, then. Lead the way, sweetie." The Doctor smiled, pulling out his sonic screwdriver.

"The hallway is pretty much a large circle, like downstairs," he explained as he took off down the hall, River following close behind on his heels "It's on the outer side, if I'm not mistaken, which I rarely am." River gave a short laugh under her breath at that, but said nothing.

The Doctor made his way along the outer wall, passing his sonic screwdriver over every lock, trying the handle, then moving on when he was refused entry time and time again. He moved quickly, strangely proficient and focused as he did.

"Keep an ear out," the Doctor reminded River as he moved onto yet another door that remained barred to him "There was another guy in the room with him, but he was fairly young. Don't think he'd have the foggiest idea how to lower the shields, so he ought to be there still." River nodded, observing as the Doctor tried another handle, but without any luck. He mumbled something under his breath in frustration, swiftly moving along down the corridor.

He tried another two dozen doors, his brow furrowed, wrinkles forming on his forehead in frustration. He hauled on door after door, moving down the hallway as quickly as he could, though it was still not nearly fast enough. He knew the poisonous gas below had almost completely gone, and that the guards hiding silently behind every single door he passed would soon come out in a wave. It wouldn't normally be an issue, but with an escaped prisoner trailing right behind him and a dead guard lying lifelessly in one of the rooms, he could see how they'd get the wrong idea.

As he failed to open yet another door, he sighed audibly, fighting the urge to chuck his screwdriver at the wall. "Oh, what's the use of you?" he complained, hopping over to the next door with a scowl "Oh, and that was rhetorical, I know perfectly well every single function of this damned thing. Good thing these doors aren't wooden…" His grumbling was cut off as he heard the faintest noise from behind the door, the sound of a soft click as he tried the handle. He flashed River an ecstatic grin, slowly pushing the door inwards, revealing the contents of the room.


	7. The Control Room

**It took some time, but here it is - Chapter Seven! Not a lot of action, but I promise better is coming. I originally wasn't going to finish it, but a anonymous review encouraged me to keep at it :) Thank you "Guest" for making my day with your kind words. Enjoy!**

_Previously__:_

_His grumbling was cut off as he heard the faintest noise from behind the door, the sound of a soft click as he tried the handle. He flashed River an ecstatic grin, slowly pushing the door inwards, revealing the contents of the room._

…

It was nearly identical to the room the Doctor had been imprisoned in, which he found strangely infuriating. Couldn't they switch things up a bit? The only variation was the large, horseshoe shaped, metallic desk that curved itself around the room right against the walls. The space was fairly large, leaving a good sized circle of bare flooring in the centre of it. Well, almost bare.

In the centre of the room, leaning back on a small, metal chair, was the guard the Doctor had seen earlier. Just as lanky as he remembered him, his long limbs hanging awkwardly off the small chair as he dozed off, most definitely asleep. The Doctor smiled at his good fortune, turning his attention instead to the array of buttons, levers, switches, dials, and various other controls that flashed around him. Their bright colours called for his attention, their blinking screens begging to be read, random switches and levers jutting out from the surface, his fingers itching to reach out and discover their function.

Instead, the Doctor stood absolutely still and utterly silent at the very centre of the room, determined not to wake up the young guard. Pleasant as he might have been in comparison to the ape-like one, the Doctor was sure he wouldn't be too friendly towards him at the sight of River and his dead co-worker. So, the Doctor played it safe, turning himself around in circle upon circle, gazing at every control from the centre of the room where he stood. His darting eyes tried to find the controls for the shield, but barely any of the buttons were so clearly marked.

"What could possibly be the use of all these buttons?" the Doctor muttered quietly to himself, having a hard time imagining even a prison this size needing so many controls "They must have a button for everything! I wonder what one turns on the cheery background music, like in shops. This prison should have a shop out front." River rolled her eyes, still standing in the open doorway, observing the Doctor's bizarre methods. "Like the sonic screwdriver of control rooms or, better still, a TARDIS console. Not organized at all, just a jumbled mess of... stuff. Stuff and things that... do things. And stuff too, I suppose." The Doctor rambled under his breath, barely audible to even River, and the guard didn't stir.

"I was expecting you to just push random buttons to see what they do, like when you pilot the TARDIS." River said quietly from the doorway, earning herself a glare from the Doctor when he turned her way, coming around in another complete circle.

"I'll have you know I know exactly what every button on the TARDIS does, thank you very much!" he lied, raising his voice ever so slightly, though it still didn't rise enough to wake the sleeping guard "Plus, I can't just go around pressing buttons, I might push the wrong one and set off the alarms, call for help, or take down all the shields at once. Or I might just turn on the cheery music. We have to be careful about this River." She let out a quiet, breathy laugh as the Doctor continued his observation of the control room.

"Careful," she repeated under her breath, amused by his choice of words "So, what are you trying to accomplish, exactly?" asked River after a few more moments had passed in silence, save for the soft sound of the Doctor's shoes on the metal floor. The Doctor scowled slightly, but secretly wanting to explain his plan. What was the use of being clever if you couldn't show off about it?

"Well, I'm going to try and see if I can keep the shields down a bit longer," he replied, his intelligent eyes darting around the room in search of the correct button, lever, or switch "I really don't want all the guards rushing out at once, I don't like those odds at all." He completed another circle around the room, his eyebrows furrowing as he failed to find any sort of labeling on the controls. River took a step towards him, causing the Doctor to spin round in her direction at the sound of her heel against the metal floor.

"Shhh!" he urged, spitting a bit as he pressed his index finger hastily to his lips "I don't want to wake him up until I'm sure his buddies won't come sauntering in!" He said this in a low, angry whisper. River fought back a smile at his serious expression, and managed to due to the fact that he was scaring her a bit. His eyes, hundreds and hundreds of years older than his face, were sharp, focused, and hard. Hundreds had died here today, though they hadn't exactly been innocent, but it didn't matter to the Doctor. The clock was ticking, the Doctor felt the pressure, and he meant business.

"Isn't there an owner's manual anywhere?" River asked, her voice a harsh whisper "Instructions of some sort?" The look she received from the Doctor in return was comical, despite the circumstances. He raised one eyebrow, an expression of amused dubiety. A look that relayed a clear message: _Are you serious?_

"Who keeps the owner's manual?" he asked incredulously "I'm serious River, who has ever kept the owner's manual to anything? Everybody knows you're supposed to throw it out as soon as you're sure it's not going back to the store." Normally, River would've rolled her eyes, if not immediately retort with a clever (and mostly likely flirtatious) comeback. However, this time she stood absolutely still in the doorway, eyes widening.

For the Doctor, so focused on being so very ostentatious and clever, topped with a full helping of sarcasm, had let his voice rise above a murmur. With his last sentence, the sound of his voice rang audibly in the metal room, producing the faintest echo as it reflected off the cold walls. The smile on his face faltered as he heard a low grumble from behind him, followed shortly after by a tired sigh. The Doctor turned slowly around to face the guard, who was slowly but surely straightening up in his metal chair, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, yet to catch a glimpse of the Doctor and his wife.

Knowing he himself had no time to get away quietly without alerting the awakening guard with the sound of his hurried footsteps, the Doctor twisted around to face River, gesturing for her to leave. Still hovering in the doorway, she shook her head curtly, with a finality that prevented the Doctor from arguing. Well, that and the fact that the guard was now fully awake, standing nearly erect, though his eyes hadn't yet opened.

The Doctor cringed involuntarily as the guard slowly opened his eyes, which widened well beyond their normal size as he took in the sight in front of him. His gaze fell first upon the Doctor, causing the guard's eyebrows to pull together over his eyes in a look of utter confusion. He held out a hand, slowly raising a finger to point at him, opening his mouth to speak. Before he could even voice the tired and bewildered question of "Didn't we already deal with you?", the guard caught a glimpse of River standing confidentially in the doorway. With a look of shock and surprise, he fumbling hands immediately went to his gun belt, pulling out a stun gun identical to the guard before him. His long, trembling fingers hesitated on the trigger, though, as he stared, obviously frightened, at River.

_He was training to be a Doctor_, remembered the Doctor, recalling the conversation he'd overheard earlier. The first time he'd seen the young guard, he'd instantly thought of Rory, and the comparison was still quite accurate. The Doctor even smiled at the sight of him, which earned him a look of rage and frustration from River, for she still had a Taser aimed at her chest. The Doctor carefully put his hands up, shuffling calmly to the side to stand between the guard and River.

"Sir, if you could please step aside!" the guard ordered without any real authority, his voice faltering slightly "The woman behind you, I know her to be a convicted murderer, sir!" The guard, who appeared to be barely older than twenty, appeared even more frightened than River and the Doctor, the gun in his hand trembling the tiniest bit. "She was convicted for _your_ murder for God's sake!" the young guard almost shouted, stopped only by the weakness in his voice.

"I'm no more a murderer than she is!" the Doctor answered, a small twitch in the corner of his eye as he actually thought about how many people he'd killed, genocides he'd committed, their faces flashing briefly behind his eyes. The statement was still true, though. He and River's hands' were equally soaked in the blood of others no more innocent than themselves. "Now, please, calm down! Lower the gun so we can talk. That's it, just talk, please!" The Doctor said this in a low, convincing tone.

The guard lowered his weapon after a few long moments of silence. The Doctor's pleading had helped, but the surrender was mostly due to the fact that River's carefully manicured nails were twitching with anticipation, reaching for one of the guns that rested at her hip. The guard slipped the weapon back into his holster, pulling up his hands in a submissive gesture.

"Please, sir," the guard begged, defenseless as he glanced nervously at River "I'm just trying to protect you, protect everyone—she's a murderer. Sir, you have to understand I can't let her just walk free." The Doctor, though flattered at first, was started to find being referred to as 'sir' mildly annoying, though still not as bad as a salute, at least. The Doctor gave the man a cold smile. Bitter, emotionless, and chilling in the fact that it felt like someone had slipped ice water into the guard's veins. He now started to shrink back from the man he'd thought nothing more than a child moments before.

"Murderer, you say?" the Doctor whispered and, though his tone was polite, his expression was anything but. His face was hard, though a false, almost wicked smile could be found upon it. The guard tried not to cower, despite the Doctor being shorter and smaller than he. "Do you know who the real murderer here is, hmm?" The Doctor stood in silence, leaving the question hanging in the air, despite it being obviously rhetorical. "No?" he continued after a moment, then shrugged quickly before turning to River behind him. "What about you, Sweetie?" River gave a barely-there smile at his use of her nickname for him, before her expression became as cold as his.

"How about the guards, who killed everyone downstairs?" she played along with her husband, giving the young guard a glare. "Probably without even batting an eyelid. Hundreds of people, gone from the world with the press of a button." The Doctor turned to the guard for his reaction.

"We didn't have a choice!" the guard almost screamed, though the sound was like that of a frightened, cornered animal. The Doctor, for a fleeting moment, actually thought he might cry. He composed himself, shaking his head slowly. "I didn't have a choice!" he repeated pathetically, his voice a low whimper.

"We always have a choice." The Doctor murmured, barely audible, a grim smile on his lips. "Always."


End file.
